US Layoffs — December 2000
The US labor market showed continued flux as employers reported 61 WARN Act notices in December 2000, displacing an estimated 7,964 workers — signaling a deceleration from November and up 143% versus December 1999. Filings came from 9 states and territories, with an average of 131 workers per notice.
Top States by Workers Affected
| State | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | 30 | 3,535 |
| Illinois | 8 | 1,724 |
| Florida | 7 | 868 |
| Alabama | 3 | 601 |
| Maryland | 5 | 501 |
| Kentucky | 3 | 257 |
| Oklahoma | 2 | 242 |
| Ohio | 2 | 236 |
| Kansas | 1 | 0 |
Texas led the nation with 3,535 workers affected across 30 notices , followed by Illinois (1,724 workers) and Florida (868 workers) .
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Retail | 20 | 3,213 |
| Manufacturing | 16 | 1,940 |
| Information & Technology | 8 | 918 |
| Wholesale Trade | 3 | 663 |
| Finance & Insurance | 5 | 419 |
| Professional Services | 2 | 342 |
| Transportation | 2 | 213 |
| Utilities | 1 | 66 |
| Healthcare | 2 | 51 |
| Agriculture | 1 | 25 |
The Retail sector topped the list of affected industries with 3,213 workers across 20 notices. Notably, Manufacturing reported 1,940 workers.
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 16 | 2,858 |
| Layoff | 4 | 225 |
Closures accounted for 36% of all affected workers nationally, with the majority of events being layoffs rather than full closures.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | Location | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montgomery Ward | Chicago, Illinois | 914 | Closure |
| Packard-Hughes Interconnect | Robertsdale, Alabama | 475 | Closure |
| Outboard Marine Corporation Chris Craft | Sarasota, Florida | 403 | |
| Auburn Steel | Lemont, Illinois | 272 | Closure |
| Symbol Technologies | Houston, Texas | 258 | |
| M/A/R/C Group | Denton, Texas | 250 | |
| Montgomery Ward - San Antonio | San Antonio, Texas | 206 | |
| Montgomery Ward - Corsicana | Corsicana, Texas | 200 | |
| Montgomery Ward - El Paso2 | El Paso, Texas | 197 | |
| York International | Elyria, Ohio | 175 |
The most significant filing came from Montgomery Ward in Chicago, Illinois, reporting 914 affected workers. Packard-Hughes Interconnect followed with 475 workers.
Trend & Outlook
This is the third consecutive month of declining layoff activity.
The numbers illustrate a mixed picture for the nation's labor market, with activity diverging between monthly and annual comparisons. The Retail sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This report covers all WARN Act filings with notice dates in December 2000. The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act requires employers with 100+ employees to provide 60-day advance notice of mass layoffs and plant closings. Data is sourced from official state filings and updated daily by LaborCurrent, which also tracks SEC 8-K filings, bankruptcy proceedings, H-1B visa petitions, and unemployment claims across all six datasets. API access and data exports available.